Chicago Cubs, Wrigley Field and baseball history

Baseball history unpacked, September 6

D. Lee celebrates his birthday over and over and over, and other stories

By Duane Pesice@moderan13 Sep 6, 2019, 6:00am CDT

... on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, Bleed Cubbie Blue brings a you a wildly popular Cubs-centric look at baseball’s past. Here’s a handy Cubs timeline, to help you follow along as we review select scenes from the rich tapestry of Chicago Cubs and Major League Baseball history. The embedded links often point to articles that pertain to the scenes, such as reproductions of period newspapers, images, and/or other such material as is often found in the wild.

Today in baseball history:

1883 - At Chicago’s Lakefront Park, the National League’s White Stockings send 23 batters to the plate, scoring 13 runs before an out is recorded. Tommy Burns and Ned Williamson both score three times in the 18-run, 18-hit seventh inning, establishing a major league record that still stands today. (1,3)
1918 - In Game 2 of the World Series‚ Lefty Tyler drives in 2 runs in the Cubs’ 3-run 2nd. The Red Sox get one in the 9th and that’s all the scoring for the day‚ with Tyler beating Joe Bush. The game also features fights between Heinie Wagner and Hippo Vaughn and another involving Les Mann and Bush. (1)

Box score.

1948 - After 2,592 plate appearances, Emil Verban hits his first and only major league home run, establishing the mark for the longest homerless streak to start a career. The Cubs second baseman hits the historic home run off Johnny Vander Meer in the seventh inning of the team’s 3-1 loss to Chicago at Crosley Field. (1,3)

Box scores. Game one. Game two.

1953 - With Giants manager Leo Durocher yelling “stick it in his ear”, Ruben Gomez hits Carl Furillo, the National League’s leading hitter, on the wrist by a pitch. After taking first base, the Dodgers right fielder bolts into the opposing dugout to choke ‘Leo the Lip’, but in the melee, the knuckle on his little finger is fractured, putting an end to his season. (1,3)
1953 - The Chicago Cubs win a doubleheader from the Cincinnati Reds, by scores of 7 - 6 and 7 - 2. In the first game, Cubs first baseman Dee Fondy hits one of his team’s four homers and then scores the game-winning run with a two-out, two-strike steal of home in the 9th inning. Fondy’s teammates Ransom Jackson, Ralph Kiner and Hank Sauer also homer, Kiner and Sauer back-to-back. (3)

Box scores. Game one. Game two.

1972 - A’s southpaw Ken Holtzman and first baseman Mike Epstein wear black armbands on the sleeves of their uniforms to pay respect to the 11 Israeli Olympic athletes who were killed yesterday by terrorists in Munich. The action taken by the Jewish players, affirming the importance of their faith, is well received by the club, with Reggie Jackson wearing an armband in solidarity, along with skipper Dick Williams being fully supportive of the symbolic gesture made by the Oakland teammates. (1)
2002 - The Cardinals defeat the Cubs‚ 11 - 2‚ as brothers Andy and Alan Benes oppose each other in the seventh matchup of brothers in major league history. Andy gets the win while Alan takes the loss. The Cards score all 11 of their runs in the 3rd inning. (3)

Box score.

2003 - At Milwaukee‚ the Cubs’ Mark Prior (15-5) strikes out 7 in 7 innings to win his seventh straight‚ beating the Brewers‚ 4 - 2. Randall Simon hits a 2-run homer for Chicago and gets a big cheer when it is announced that all 330 fans sitting in section 112‚ behind the Cubs dugout‚ would receive free Polish sausages‚ courtesy of Simon. Simon’s last appearance at Miller Park was in a Pirates uniform on July 9 when he whacked a woman dressed as a sausage during a race. (3)

Box score.

2004 - At Wrigley Field, Cubs hit 5 home runs, two by Aramis Ramirez, one each by Derrek Lee, Mark Grudzielanek & Michael Barrett. (6)

Box score.

2005 - At Busch Stadium, the Cubs defeat the Cardinals 5-2. Derrek Lee goes 2 for 4 with two runs scored, a home run & two RBI. (6)

Box score.

2006 - Trailing 2-1 into the 8th inning, Derrek Lee’s grand slam highlights a six-run inning as the Cubs defeat the Pirates 7-2 at Wrigley Field. (6)

Box score.

2007 - At Wrigley Field, Alfonso Soriano homers twice and drives in all four Cubs runs in a 7-4 loss to the Dodgers. Derrek Lee goes 2 for 3 with a walk. (6)

Box score.

2008 - At Great American Ball Park, Alfonso Soriano homers three times, Mark DeRosa & Jason Marquis homer as well. Derrek Lee has four hits and three RBI in a 14-9 win over the Reds. (6)

Box score.

2012 - Adam LaRoche and Kurt Suzuki homer as the Nationals defeat the Cubs in a game marred by a bench-clearing brawl. Center fielder Bryce Harper triples. Anthony Rizzo homers and Starlin Castro and Darwin Barney triple in the losing effort.

Box score.